Cricket: Warne calls high-performance chief a muppet

Australian test great Shane Warne has launched an extraordinary attack on former Wallaby Pat Howard, calling him a muppet.

Warne says Cricket Australia needs to look beyond the rugby community and get current cricket people involved in the game at administrative level.

As CA's high-performance chief, Howard has overseen the selection panel's controversial strategy of rotating players in and out of the side this summer in an attempt to avoid injuries, particularly in terms of managing fast bowlers' workloads.

Warne, who is a close mate of Australia's Test and one-day captain Michael Clarke, said on Twitter on Monday night that it was ridiculous to deprive the Aussie sporting public of seeing the star batsman in action during some of the one-day games against Sri Lanka earlier this month.

"I think CA really need to look at the people who are making decisions on all facets of cricket in Australia, we r (sic) seriously becoming a joke!" Warne said.

"Absolute rubbish re selections,rotations,resting & farcical decisions on matches, joke.. Dudding the public & to many excuses.. Wake up CA.

"Can CA please put current cricket people in charge to run the game,select teams, not ex rugby or any other sports people plse, seriously

"We have the best batsmen / captain in the world in @MClarke23 (Michael Clarke) - He needs current cricket people to help him out not muppets "

Warne was fined a total of $9500 and suspended for one match during the just-completed BBL season while playing for Melbourne Stars for various breaches of discipline including clashing with Melbourne Renegades' player Marlon Samuels and not naming himself as captain in a semi-final in a bid to avoid a possible suspension for slow over-rates.

Warne's comments were made during Australia's two-run loss to Sri Lanka at the MCG as the tourists claimed a 2-0 Twenty20 series win.